November 09, 2012 -
Design / Build
Name: Suzanne Carlson
Title: Principal
Company: NBBJ
Location: 2 Rector St., New York, N.Y. 10006
Place of birth: New York, N.Y.
Family: My son Daniel, my dad Richard Carlson, two sisters and other loved ones
College: Hillsdale College, MI; Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, London; New York School of Interior Design, NYC
First job unrelated to your current field: Actress
First job in current field: Designer at Swanke Hayden Connell
What your firm does now and its plans for the future? NBBJ is a global design and architecture firm focused on helping clients capitalize on the relationship between people and the design of physical space to enhance organizational performance. Partnering with some of the world's most innovative companies, including several Fortune 500 firms, NBBJ examines how a workplace functions to design environments that enable creativity, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainable practices. The firm is currently designing workplaces for high-tech companies including Samsung, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Tencent, and Alibaba.
Hobbies: Cooking, any type of creative expression (painting, knitting, image transfer, pottery)
Favorite novel: The trend right now is Victorian Mystery Novels. But the trend changes.
Favorite film: Can't choose one. "Battle of Midway," "Jaws," "Alien"... there are more.
Keys to success: Honesty and integrity are the most important traits you own. Maintaining them isn't always simple, but doing so ensures your ultimate success.
Person(s) you most admire (outside of family): Mark Harbick. The biggest bonus in joining NBBJ is Mark. He has inspired me through his enormous generosity of spirit. This is translated not only through his person, but through his design. I am very lucky to be working with him.
If you had to choose a different profession, what would it be? I think that I would own a small shop. I would sell beautifully designed objects that had to do with food and the gathering at a table.